


The Road So Far - a screenplay

by dornfelder



Series: The Road So Far [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, M/M, Screenplay/Script Format, Series Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:42:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 11,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dornfelder/pseuds/dornfelder
Summary: The episode picks up shortly after “Inherit the Earth”. We see two familiar cars from above; the Impala driving ahead, Eileen’s car following behind.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Series: The Road So Far [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035993
Comments: 37
Kudos: 81





	1. The Road So Far

**Author's Note:**

> This is a labor of grief, helpless rage and frustration, and spite. And of love. Always of love, too.
> 
> Thanks to honeywolf, callmejude, and i-am-vpelno for beta reading on short notice and concrit.

Supernatural

Episode 15.20

[The Road So Far](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jvSkvMUpn41gDea3_XZgKNa9CvnJBR1oZMCJZ3LdYOU/edit)

A Screenplay by dornfelder

If you'd prefer reading it in a script format (which was the orginal idea), follow the link. 


	2. 1. EXT. TOWN WHERE EILEEEN LEAHY LIVES. LATE AFTERNOON.

_The episode picks up where “Inherit the Earth” left us. We see two familiar cars from above; the Impala driving ahead, Eileen’s car following behind. AC/DC’S **Back in Black** is running. _

_Back in black I hit the sack_ _  
__I've been too long I'm glad to be back_ _  
__Yes I am_ _  
__Let loose from the noose_ _  
__That's kept me hanging about_ _  
__I kept looking at the sky cause it's gettin' me high_ _  
__Forget the hearse cause I'll never die_ _  
__I got nine lives cat's eyes_ _  
__Abusin' every one of them and runnin' wild_ _  
__Cause I'm back_ _  
__Yes I'm back_ _  
__Well I'm back_ _  
__Yes I'm back_ _  
__Well I'm back back_ _  
__Well I'm back in black_ _  
__Yes I'm back in black_   
_Back in the back of a Cadillac_

_Both cars pull up to the curb in front of Eileen’s house. SAM immediately jumps out of Eileen’s car, jogs up the steps to the door. It’s EILEEEN who opens. The two of them hug. Meanwhile, DEAN gets out of the Impala. From his point of view, we can see how she excitedly signs at Sam. Then she takes his hand and leads him inside the house._

_Sam looks back over his shoulder, shrugs apologetically. Dean, leaning against the driver’s door, smiles at Sam and gives him a thumbs-up. His smile fades as the door closes behind Sam._

_An incoming message from APOCALYPSE WORLD BOBBY tells DEAN “good to be back. Need to catch up soon”. Dean smiles faintly and puts away his phone. He tugs his jacket around him, then starts walking along the street._


	3. 2. INT. THE EMPTY. TIME UNKNOWN.

**BEGIN MONTAGE.**

_We see clips from past episodes where CASTIEL relives his greatest failures. Dying. Killing Raphael. Turning into Godstiel. Killing copies of Dean under Naomi’s orders._

_Gradually, however, the images change, and it becomes a montage of … Dean. Being Dean in the most Dean-ish way. Smiling, drinking beer, some of the most wholesome Dean/Cas moments of the entire series._

**END MONTAGE.**

_The dream images fade, replaced by the black-in-black environment of the Empty, and THE SHADOW appears, taking the shape of Castiel’s dark doppelganger._

THE SHADOW  This isn’t working. Why isn’t it working? You’re keeping me _awake._

_The Shadow looks frazzled. Hair standing on ends. We want Misha to look as hungover as possible. The shadow walks in circles around CASTIEL, who stands there smiling serenely._

THE SHADOW You’re so bloody annoying.

CASTIEL If that’s the case, why don’t you cast me out again?

THE SHADOW No. You’re mine. We made a deal. I’m not giving you up. Where’s the fun in that? Just you wait. Some day, all these memories will pale. They will fade.

CASTIEL I have a good memory.

THE SHADOW They’ll fade.

_The shadow keeps walking around Castiel in a vaguely threatening manner but then suddenly pauses. Tilts its head to the side. Keeps listening, distracted._

CASTIEL What is happening?

_The shadow looks at him._

THE SHADOW I sense a presence.

_It disappears without a word._

**THE SUPERNATURAL SERIES INTRO**


	4. 3. INT. A BAR JUST A STREET FROM EILEEN’S HOUSE. EVENING.

_DEAN is sitting at the bar, drinking whisky._ _**Learning to Fly** _ _by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers plays in the background. A female patron keeps sending Dean looks, but he actively avoids her gaze to keep drinking. She loses interest after a moment._

_Well, I started out down a dirty road  
Started out all alone  
And the sun went down as I crossed the hill  
And the town lit up, the world got still  
  
I'm learning to fly but I ain't got wings  
Coming down is the hardest thing  
  
Well, the good old days may not return  
And the rocks might melt and the sea may burn _

_In the back of the room, a WAITER drops a tray. Dean flinches and looks. Another PATRON, a stereotypical redneck in a flannel shirt and denims, is bullying the waiter, who looks much more flamboyant – earrings, a nose piercing, shaped eyebrows. He shoves the waiter away, and Dean gets up from his chair to intervene._

DEAN Hey. Easy there. Let him go.

PATRON Who the fuck are you?

DEAN I said, let him go.

_A staring contest ensues, but Dean is not fucking around, and the patron seems to sense that. He lets the waiter go with another shove and turns away. The waiter looks at Dean with eyes full of gratitude, Dean clears his throat._

DEAN Right. I’ll let you get back to work.

_He returns to his table and resumes drinking._


	5. 4. INT. EILEEN’S KITCHEN. LATER THAT EVENING.

_SAM and EILEEN are sitting at her kitchen table, coffee cups between them. Sam’s looking at her, she signs and talks to him._

EILEEN What happens now?

_Sam stirs his coffee._

SAM I don’t know. But I guess it means that we’re free now. We can do what we want.

EILEEN What does that mean for you?

SAM I don’t know. It’s just starting to sink in. After everything that happened, I haven’t found time. It’s like …

_He looks at Eileen, meeting her eyes._

SAM Like when you came back and said you needed time.

_Eileen nods. She reaches out and touches his hands, briefly, but before Sam can tangle their fingers together, she pulls her hand away._

EILEEN Then you know what to do. Figure it out as you go along.

_Sam smiles and nods. But then he lowers his gaze again._

SAM There’s also Dean. He hasn’t been well.

_He looks up again, afraid that he’ll see her frown – as most women would, faced with the realization that her partner will always put his brother before her. Instead of the judgment he expects to see, he finds a steady calm._

EILEEN What do _you_ want, Sam?

_Sam looks stricken. He wants her. He’s been in love with her for a while, and she is who he permits himself to dream of when he imagines what his life could be like. Is this something he can have, now that Chuck is gone?_

SAM I want to be with you. But I don’t know if I can, not yet. And I … I don’t know what _you_ want. You never told me.

_Eileen touches his hand again. Her own looks tiny in comparison as she turns his hand around so she can draw letters into his palm. There’s an I, and an L. Sam holds his breath. But she pulls her hand back again and looks up at him with a hesitant smile._

EILEEN I want to be with you too.

SAM But you can’t.

EILEEN I don’t know. Can I?

_They both know what she’s asking for: commitment. But as much as Sam wants to, it’s not something he can offer. Not yet._

_Sam stares into his coffee cup. He wants, more than anything, to reach for her hand, which is now resting on the table. But he can’t. He slowly gets up from his chair, making sure she’s looking at him._

SAM I better get going.

_Eileen gets up too and walks him to the door._

_Sam raches for the door handle, then stops. His right hand clenches into a fist for a second before he turns around. Eileen is right behind him. He takes a step toward her and pulls her into his arms; she throws her arms around him. They kiss, passionately._

_Sam breaks the kiss. He pulls her close and hides his face in her hair. Eileen’s hand slides over his arm. As she pulls away, her thumb slides over the back of his hand._

EILEEN I’m not asking you to choose, Sam.

SAM I know.

EILEEN But it won’t work if I matter less. I have to matter just as much.

_Sam nods slowly. He bends his head until his forehead touches Eileen’s hair. Quitely, knowing she can’t hear it, but needing so say it anyway._

SAM You do.


	6. 5. INT. THE BAR. SAME TIME

_The bartender puts another glass in front of DEAN, who’s looking a little bleary-eyed. The music has changed, we hear Pink Floyd’s_ _**Wish You Were Here** _ _._

DEAN Thanks.

_So, so you think you can tell  
Heaven from Hell  
Blue skies from pain  
Can you tell a green field  
From a cold steel rail?  
A smile from a veil?  
Do you think you can tell?  
  
Did they get you to trade  
Your heroes for ghosts?  
Hot ashes for trees?  
Hot air for a cool breeze? _

_Cold comfort for change?  
Did you exchange  
A walk on part in the war  
For a lead role in a cage? _

_Dean looks at the clock on the wall above the bar. It says 23:30. In this moment, THE WAITER from before appears next to him, no longer wearing his apron._

THE WAITER Hey.

DEAN Oh. Hey.

_The waiter takes the seat next to him._

THE WAITER I just wanted to say thank you. For the help. I really appreciate it.

DEAN Yeah, you’re welcome. No big deal.

THE WAITER Anyway, thanks.

_He offers his hand._

THE WAITER I’m Jacob, by the way.

DEAN Dean.

_They shake hands. Jacob smiles at Dean._

JACOB Hey, can I buy you a drink?

DEAN Huh?

_He looks at Jacob who keeps smiling at him hopefully, and it’s only now that he realizes that Jacob is flirting with him._

DEAN Oh.

_Of course, men have tried to come on to him before. But for some reason, he’s caught off guard._

DEAN Er. No, thanks. I’m sorry. I don’t –

JACOB Oh. Of course. Sorry, I didn’t mean ...

DEAN Oh, no, no no, it’s all right. It’s just –

_Jacob tries a tentative smile._

JACOB Bad timing?

_Dean’s face is showing his struggle to reply to that._

DEAN Bad timing. Yeah.

_Whether Dean just doesn’t feel the need to reassert his heterosexuality at the moment or feels that he can’t is up to the viewer._

JACOB I’ll leave you alone then. See you around.

DEAN Yeah, all right.

_He smiles at Jacob in a rather unconvincing way. Jacob leaves. Dean casts another glance at the clock. He drains his glass, then pays his bill._


	7. 6. EXT. ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE BAR. NIGHT

_DEAN walks out of the bar. He hears a disturbance from an alleyway right beside the bar. The PATRON from before and two of his REDNECK FRIENDS have cornered JACOB, who is trying to get away from them._

_Dean intervenes, pulling the guys off Jacob. In the ensuing fight Jacob manages to escape. He pulls his phone out of his pocket to call the police, but before he can act, SAM appears._

SAM _(hurriedly)_ Don’t! We’ve got it under control.

_As Jacob watches him incredulously, Sam runs to join the fight._

_Meanwhile Dean is badly outnumbered and in serious danger of being stabbed with a knife. Sam appears and they fight off the patron and his friends together. The guys escape, Sam pulls Dean off the sidewalk and brushes dirt off his back._

SAM Were they …

DEAN Just bullies.

SAM Uh-oh.

DEAN The bad guys aren’t always monsters, Sam.

SAM Right. Tend to forget that.

_They leave the alley together. Jacob is waiting for them._

JACOB That was … wow. Thank you so much. That could have ended badly.

DEAN Yeah.

JACOB I should probably report that.

_Sam and Dean exchange a glance._

SAM Right. So, you know, we’d really appreciate it if you didn’t.

JACOB _(puzzled)_ Okay. But … why?

DEAN Listen, they’re gone now. And we need to go. Just … make sure you’re safe, all right?

JACOB I guess I’ll go and ask Danny for a ride.

_Sam and Dean look at him.  
_

JACOB The bartender.

DEAN That’s a good idea. You do that.

JACOB Thanks again. Are you sure I can’t invite your for a drink?

_He eyes Sam appreciatevely_

JACOB (CONT’D) Both of you.

_Sam and Dean exchange another glance._

SAM Er … No, thanks.

DEAN We gotta go.

_They walk away while Jacob watches them wistfully._


	8. 7. EXT. IN THE STREET BEFORE EILEEN'S HOUSE. A LITTLE LATER.

_Approaching the Impala, DEAN looks at SAM._

DEAN You’re not staying overnight.

_Sam shakes his head._

DEAN Huh.

SAM Don’t.

DEAN I wasn’t going to say anything.

_They walk over to the impala. Dean hands Sam the car keys._

DEAN You drive. I’ve had one too many.

_Sam walks around to the driver’s door. About to open the door, he turns halfway and casts a look at Eileen’s house, where the lights go out in an upstairs window. He sighs._

_Dean, in the process of opening the door, pauses and looks at Sam._

DEAN Are you … _pining_?

_Sam sends him a dark glance and gets in the car. Dean shakes his head, fond exasperation and a hint of something else, something sadder as he gets into the passenger seat._

_He leans back into the seat, closes his eyes._

_They drive off into the night._


	9. 8. INT. THE EMPTY. CONTINUED FROM BEFORE

_The Empty, again. CASTIEL is pacing around in the dark. Listening. Wondering what’s going on._

_Suddenly, there’s light in the dark. Just a thin, vertical line at first that grows gradually wider. Castiel tilts his head to the side, waiting._

_From the bright light, a figure emerges. It’s JACK, all in white._

JACK Cas.

CASTIEL Something is different. What …?

JACK You can sense it, can’t you?

CASTIEL Yes. But how …

JACK They did it, Cas. They found a way. And I … I took on the burden. Such as it is.

CASTIEL Did he – did they –

JACK _(smiling)_ They are alive.

_Castiel visibly relaxes._

JACK (CONT’D) _They never gave up._

CASTIEL The Empty kept me asleep for the most part, but I sensed some things. Lucifer …

JACK He’s back here now. So’s Michael.

CASTIEL _(nod_ _ding_ _)_ And you?

JACK I think I am no who I was meant to be.

CASTIEL What are you going to do?

JACK With the universe, you mean?

CASTIEL Yes.

JACK There are some changes I can make and some that I can’t. Some flaws are by design. The flaws create the pattern, and I can’t change it without unraveling it all. I wish I could. But in order to end all suffering, I would have to end the world.

CASTIEL You could ease it.

JACK I could. But I wouldn’t know where to start. And if I started, where would I stop? That’s what happened to Chuck, you know. I took his memories, I know now. He saw the design but he couldn’t fix it. I think it drove him insane, in the end. If I want to be a guardian of this world, I cannot intervene too much, or I will end up in the same place.

CASTIEL But …

JACK I will guard this world to its very end. And if I see that it all becomes too much … then I _will_ end it.

CASTIEL I understand.

JACK As I said, some things I _can_ change. And I have an idea of where to start.

CASTIEL What exactly are you saying?

JACK I’m saying that you have a choice to make.


	10. 9. INT. A CHEAP MOTEL ROOM, EARLY MORNING

_Camera on a ringing cellphone on a night stand. Jody’s number flashes on the display. The clock says 5:30._

_A hand, attached to DEAN, reaches for the phone. Lying on his back in his bed, Dean answers the call._

DEAN Yeah.

_A woman’s (Jody’s) voice talking at the end of the line. SAM, in his bed on the other side of the room, slowly sits up in his bed, switches on a bedside lamp and looks over. Dean meets Sam’s gaze and nods._

DEAN Yeah, all right. We’re on our way.

_Sam sighs, resigned, throws the blanket off and gets out of bed. Dean hangs up as Sam disappears in the bathroom._

DEAN _(calling out)_ Got a case.

SAM Yeah, gathered as much. What is it?

DEAN A friend of Jody’s got injured hunting a siren. He’s been on its trail for a couple of months. He caught up to it yesterday and wounded it, but it stabbed him, and he’s at the hospital. Someone’s got to finish the job.

SAM They couldn’t call someone else?

DEAN Seems we just can’t catch a break.

_The camera shows Sam, looking in the bathroom mirror._

SAM _(softly)_ Or maybe that’s just you.

DEAN (from the other room) Huh?

SAM Nothing. All right.


	11. 10. INT/EXT. THE IMPALA, RURAL BACKWATER US. AFTERNOON. A BARN

_The boys are driving along a country road, passing fields and arriving, finally, at a derelict barn which is surrounded by heaps of scrap, broken farming tools._

_SAM ends a phone call and turns to look at DEAN._

SAM So Jody said that George had followed the siren to this place. Which means that it’ll probably still be around here somewhere.

DEAN Unless it transformed into George and he’s dead.

SAM Jody checked that.

DEAN ‘Course she did. Anyway, that thing sure _looks_ like a death trap.

_They get out of the car and retrieve their equipment from the trunk. Sam sheathes a bronze dagger._

DEAN We don’t have the victim’s blood, so that’s not going to work. We’ll probably have to shoot that thing a lot before it’ll die. If George hurt it before, that should make it easier.

SAM More ammo. Got it.

_Guns in hand, they approach the barn. Dean opens the door, Sam enters. They search the barn with brisk efficiency. Dean approaches a pile of objects covered by a tarp, pulls it off. The dust makes him cough. Nothing, just a couple of empty oil cans._

_Switch to SAM, who is walking around a beam from which a long, rusty nail protrudes._

SAM You’re right. This _is_ a death trap.

_The barn is empty. Sam and Dean exit through the back door._

DEAN Wherever that thing is, it’s not here.

_Sam looks around, at the dark forest in the distance. He narrows his eyes. The camera shows us that there’s another, much smaller shed right at the edge of the wood, and from above, we can see movement – a creature, pressing tight against the wall. THE SIREN in its original shape watches the Winchesters from a distance. It has an ugly, ragged chest wound, with a thick, yellow liquid leaking from it. Looking extraordinarily gross._

_Back to Sam who lowers his gun and waits until Dean joins him. He tilts his head._

SAM I think there’s something over there. We should probably check it out.

_Dean nods. The brothers start walking across the muddy field._

_Camera from above, from Dean and Sam crossing the field to the siren, which is shown to be retreating to the back of the shed._

_The camera cuts back to Sam and Dean as they approach the little shed. Dean checks the ground, looking for clues._

DEAN Footprints all over the place.

_Sams walks to the door and tries to open it. It’s locked. Sam and Dean share a look. Dean nods, raising his gun. Sam kicks in the door. The shed appears to be empty. Sam steps inside, Dean follows him. There’s a sleeping bag in the corner, clothes lying around. Apparently the siren has chosen this humble abode as its hideout._

DEAN (low) It’s got to be around here somewhere.

_Sam nods. He turns back to the door._

_The moment he steps outside, the siren jumps down from the roof knocks him out with a rock. He falls to the ground, dazed. Dean shoots at the siren who dodges, then disappears from sight. He runs to the door, but the Siren has disappeared into the wood. Dean crouches down beside Sam who moans and struggles to sit up._

DEAN Wait here. I’m going to get that son of a bitch.

_He gets to his feet. Gun in hand, he follows the siren._

SAM _Dean … Dean, wait …_

_Dean doesn't listen. He’s focused on his goal. Walking into the woods, hyper-aware and tense._

_The siren waits, hidden behind a tree. From it’s point of view, we see Dean walking by. Dean, who somehow seems to sense its presence, turns sharply, and the siren freezes. After a second, Dean moves on. The siren follows him, and as it is filmed from behind, we can see how it transforms into a very familiar shape – CASTIEL._

THE SIREN Dean.

_Dean spins around, gun raised. His eyes widen as he sees Cas’s shape, and even knowing that this can’t be real, he’s falling under the siren’s spell. The camera is on his face, on his eyes, widening._

DEAN _(voice breaking)_ Cas?

THE SIREN That’s right. I came back, Dean. I came back for you.

_The siren inches closer. Dean stands there, enthralled. His gun falls to the ground. The siren, still in Cas’ form, kisses him, though the kiss is seen only from behind. Dean stands frozen._

_The camera angle changes to show them from the side. The siren takes a step back, its face – Cas’s face – contorting into an ugly smile. Dean stands there, swaying slightly, injected with the siren’s venom. Then his gazes falls on the ugly wound on the siren’s chest which the siren’s glamor can’t hide. At the sight, he shakes off the stupor. Before he can act, however, Sam is there, and just as the siren turns, he shoots it several times. The siren stumbles back._

DEAN ( _still a little dazed)_ Sam, quick. The knife.

_Sam pulls out the bronze blade. Dean takes it from him and cuts his palm._

DEAN Keep it in check, Sam.

_Sam reloads his gun. Empties another magazine into the siren’s chest._

_The bronze dagger in hand, Dean lunges and stabs the siren. As it falls to the ground, it stares up at him from Cas’s eyes before the illusion breaks, leaving it dying._

DEAN Fuck. That was …

_He shakes his head._

SAM _(holstering his gun)_ A close call.

DEAN You could say that.


	12. 11. EXT. BACK AT THE CAR. A FEW MINUTES LATER.

_SAM cleans the bronze blade while DEAN is bandaging his hand, leaning against the Impala’s hood._

SAM You okay?

DEAN Yeah, fine.

SAM We should probably call Jody, let her know we’re done.

DEAN You do that.

_He clears his throat._

DEAN (CONT’D) So, are we heading back home?

SAM Yeah, in a minute.

_He grabs a water bottle from the back seat, drinks from it, then walks around the car to offer the bottle to Dean who takes a grateful gulp. Sam leans against the hood right next to him. The brothers, side by side. Viewers know it’s time for A TALK._

SAM _(_ _clearing his throat)_ I think we should talk about that.

DEAN ‘Bout what.

SAM Don’t do that, Dean.

DEAN Sam –

SAM You never told me. About Cas. About what happened.

DEAN You know what happened.

SAM You said you couldn’t talk about it. And I tried to respect that. But he was my friend too.

DEAN Let’s not do this now, all right?

SAM You said he summoned the Empty. How did he do that?

_Dean swallows. He avoids Sam’s gaze and shakes his head, gets up and takes a couple of steps away from the impala. Away from Sam. Trying to escape all the **feels** . _

SAM (CONT’D) Don’t shut me out, not now, Dean. I deserve the truth. And Cas deserves it too.

_A pause._

DEAN He made a deal. With the Empty. To save Jack.

SAM A deal?

DEAN His life for Jack’s. The Empty would come take him when –

_Dean’s voice breaks. He swallows convulsively. Sam is listening._

DEAN When he was happy.

_He makes an effort to stand straight and take a deep breath. Knowing it’s time to tell Sam the truth._

SAM _(careful)_ I … I’m not sure I understand.

DEAN Fuck, I don’t know. I hardly understand it myself. It’s …

_As Sam watches him, he shakes his head._

DEAN (CONT’D) The thing is – he said what would make him happy was something – something he couldn’t have.

_Saying this aloud to Sam is almost unbearable, and he can’t meet Sam’s gaze. He feels exposed, stripped to the bone._

SAM Oh.

DEAN And he said – he said a lot of stuff. It’s not important. But then –

SAM What did he say? Dean?

DEAN That just … _feeling_ it was enough. He said – God, Sam, I can’t say it. Don’t make me say it.

_Sam looks at his brother. He knows. He’s known for a long time. But he knows Dean needs to say it, so he waits._

DEAN I love you. He said I love you.

_Sam draws a sharp breath. He reaches out with one hand, aiming for Dean’s shoulder, but Dean pulls away._

SAM Dean –

DEAN Don’t.

_Dean walks a couple of steps, turns, walks back to the car, puts his hands on the roof, his head bowed. Agitated, not knowing how to express himself._

DEAN Fuck.

_He turns from the car, walks over to a stack of old pallets and kicks them._

DEAN _(_ _quietly)_ Son of a bitch.

_As Sam approaches him slowly, Dean looks up._

DEAN I couldn’t say anything. There was no time. I couldn’t even process – and then he died. What was I meant to do? That stupid son of a bitch sacrificed himself, and he was – Sam, he was smiling when the Empty came and took him. He was saying goodbye. And he was smiling.

_Dean is crying now, tears running down his face. He tries to wipe them away. Turns from Sam, unable to face him, but Sam follows him, puts a hand on his shoulder. Makes him turn around again._

SAM It’s okay. Come here.

_He pulls Dean into a hug. Dean remains hesitant at first, almost skittish. In this second, he’s nothing but a kid. Hurt, confused, desperate. Sam pats his back, and for a second, Dean allows himself to let go, share his burden with his little brother. He exhales against Sam’s shoulder._

DEAN He’s gone. I can’t – I can’t deal with that, Sam. I can’t.

SAM I know. I know.

DEAN I just – Sam, I –

_Whatever it is Dean wants to say, the words don’t come out. He’s stuck. He pulls away from Sam, pulling his shoulders in._

DEAN _(_ _resigned)_ I guess it doesn’t matter.

SAM It does.

DEAN He’s gone. Trapped in the Empty.

_A familiar voice cuts in from behind._

JACK’S VOICE _(off-screen)_ He isn’t.

_Sam and Dean spin around, facing JACK, who walks up to them slowly, wearing the same clothes as when they left him._

JACK I am sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.

DEAN Jack? I thought you were gone. I mean …

JACK I know what you mean. I am not going to make a habit out of this.

SAM It’s good to see you.

JACK You too. I do miss you both, you know.

DEAN Yeah. _(after a second)_ We miss you too.

JACK When I said I was going to be hands-off, I meant it. But there are some things that you two should know. You might want to spread the word around as well.

DEAN Hold on. You said something about Cas –

JACK That’s part of it. If you’ll let me explain.

_He’s calm. Patient. Serene._

JACK (CONT’D) I rearranged some matters. Got rid of some things that aren’t needed anymore.

DEAN Like what.

JACK Like Hell.

SAM and DEAN _(at the same time)_ What?

DEAN Son of a …

JACK Dean.

DEAN Sorry, kid.

_He winces. You don’t call the new God “kid” to his face._

DEAN (CONT’D) Um.

JACK It’s all right, Dean.

SAM _(cutting in)_ You … you closed up Hell?

JACK I didn’t close it. I got rid of it.

_Dean and Sam exchange a glance. Does that mean that all demons are now gone? They hardly dare ask._

JACK (CONT’D) The first demons were created by Lucifer. And they tricked and tempted humans into selling their souls. I find that … unethical.

SAM _(_ _flat)_ Unethical.

DEAN Now that makes sense, actually.

JACK I believe in second chances. So I gave them one. To return to earth, as humans, and try again. Or to move on.

SAM Move on to where?

JACK The Empty. The two of us – we had a talk. It didn’t get along with Chuck, but we’ve been working things out.

_He smiles while Dean and Sam gape at him._

JACK (CONT’D) Some demons wanted to come back. Most of them decided to move on.

_Dean and Sam exchange yet another glance._

SAM What about Rowena?

JACK She, too, made a choice.

_Sam opens his mouth._

JACK (CONT’D) _(_ _firmly)_ Second chances, Sam. Swiped records. Don’t worry about it. They are mortal, and I made sure that their ability to cause mischief will be ... limited.

_Sam and Dean don’t look convinced. Knowing Rowena, she’ll be back to cause all kinds of trouble. But that’s a problem for later._

JACK (CONT’D) As for those who decided to move on … the Empty assured me that they’ll get to sleep undisturbed, as will the angels.

DEAN Wait. What. Did you get rid of Heaven too?

JACK Well, in parts. I made a couple of adjustments. There aren’t many angels left, but those who remain will be supervising things up there.

SAM Things?

JACK Oh, you know.

_He looks from Sam to Dean._

JACK (CONT’D) Death isn’t life. Heaven, no matter how peaceful, isn’t life. It never will be.

_He gives that a moment to sink in. From the way he’s looking at Dean, the viewers can assume that this is meant to be a lesson._

JACK (CONT’D) You shouldn’t concern yourself with it right now. It’s all in order. The important thing is that neither demons nor angels will interfere with humanity anymore.

SAM Huh. No more demons, no more angels messing with us? Sounds almost too good to be true.

DEAN What about Cas.

JACK He got a choice too.

DEAN _(agitated)_ Jack. You gotta bring him back. Please. I didn’t say it before, I didn’t think you could, but I – _please_.

SAM Dean –

JACK It’s his choice.

_Dean is shaking. Cold sweat, hands clenched into fists. He takes a step toward Jack._

DEAN I haven’t – I wouldn’t – I’m not asking for anything else. Just for this. Please. Jack, I beg you. Cas can’t – he’d come back. Right? He wouldn’t just –

_He’s visibly panicking now._

DEAN (CONT’D) Jack. Don’t –

JACK Dean. Is there a reason for him to come back?

_Dean falls abruptly silent._

JACK (CONT’D) Is there?

_Sam steps in. Putting a hand on Dean’s shoulder, showing his support as Jack doesn’t seem inclined to go easy on Dean._

SAM He’s our family. He has to know that. We want him back. Both of us.

_Jack smiles a little, but his attention remains on Dean._

DEAN Please.

_An answer; not an answer. Jack keeps looking at him._

JACK If he came back, he’d be human. He would age, like you do, and he would die eventually.

_Dean falls silent. He can’t ask that of Cas._

JACK It’s his choice. And as it happens, he’s already made it.

_Dean lifts his head to look at him, eyes wide and pleading. Child-like._

JACK Dean. You already know.

_Sam inhales sharply._

JACK (CONT’D) You must know by now that there is nothing, not a single thing in this world or any other that would make Cas abandon you.

_Dean stares at him for another long, torturous moment._

DEAN _(quietly)_ Tell me where he is.

JACK He’s home.

_At these words, Dean bursts into motion. Sprinting toward the car._

_Sam looks at Jack. Jack looks back at him._

SAM Right. So –

JACK Goodbye.

SAM Do we get to see you again?

JACK Not for a long time, I hope.

DEAN _(_ _from the distance)_ Get your ass in the car, Sam!

SAM Then –

_Jack’s shape starts to grow pale and fades._

SAM Right.

_The Impala honks. Sam gets into the car._


	13. 12. INT./EXT. THE IMPALA. A ROAD. LATE AFTERNOON.

SAM Dean, you’ve got to slow down.

_Dean doesn’t answer._

SAM (CONT’D) Dean –

DEAN Shut up.

SAM _(exasperated)_ All right.

_They keep driving. Dean’s hands hold on to the steering wheel as if it’s a lifeboat that keeps him from drowning._

SAM (CONT’D) Forget I said anything.

_They keep driving. Dean, in complete tunnel vision, hasn’t got a glance to spare for his little brother. Until –_

_ SAM _ _Dean!_

_In front of them, A MOOSE crosses the street. Are moose common in this part of the US? We don’t care. We just want a moose._

_Dean slams on the brakes, sending the impala into a tailspin that ends with them at the side of the road, inches from a huge tree. Another close call._

_The moose, unharmed, disappears into the wood._

DEAN Holy fucking shit.

_He gets out of the car. Takes a couple of steps and then doubles over. Sam, concerned, unfastens his seatbelt and follows him._

SAM Dean?

_Dean slowly straightens up and turns to face his brother._

DEAN I don’t know if I can do this, Sam.

SAM Do what?

DEAN What if – I mean, he...

SAM _(eyes narrowing)_ Is this about Cas?

DEAN The things he said, before he was taken. How am I meant to – what am I even meant to say?

SAM Oh.

DEAN I mean – he’s – and I am –

_Dean’s incoherent, but Sam can fill in the blanks just fine._

SAM Dean … He loves you.

_Dean stares at him like a deer caught in the headlights._

SAM I mean, obviously.

_Dean’s eyes widen even further. “Doe eyes” gets a whole new meaning here as Dean looks at Sam in a pleading way that is usually reserved for vaguely incestuous dying scenes._

SAM Whatever boundaries you want to set, he’ll respect them. You know that, right?

DEAN Yeah. Yeah, of course.

SAM So, it’s you drawing the lines. And if you say, this is as far as I can go, then Cas isn’t going to argue with that. It’s your choice, all right?

DEAN It’s not a _choice,_ Sam.

SAM Well. Then I guess you don’t have to worry about it, right? You do what you have to do. Cas is going to understand that.

_Dean stares at him, stricken._

SAM (CONT’D) Except –

DEAN Except what?

_Curiously, it almost sounds like he’s waiting for Sam to throw him a lifeline. But with everything that depends on it, Sam has to tread carefully._

SAM I just wonder …

DEAN Huh?

SAM If you actually _want_ to stick to that line. Or if you’re maybe just afraid of crossing it.

_When Dean opens his mouth to protest, Sam cuts him off, lifting his hands._

SAM (CONT’D) Look. I’m not trying to imply anything here, all right? I’m just saying, maybe you want to think about it. You know, just be … open about it. About your options.

_Dean makes a strangled sound._

SAM (CONT’D) If it’s a line you really can’t cross, then fine. But – just as a thought – if it turns out you _can_ – maybe it’s worth considering it.

_Dean averts his gaze. Gulps. Gulps again. Opens his mouth and shuts it again._

SAM I mean, what’s wrong with – you know, just thinking about it?

DEAN What if … what if it turns out I can’t, and I hurt him?

_Sam thinks it over for a moment._

SAM Well – you know, it’s _Cas_. He’s got the whole forgiveness thing down. So you could just try not to hurt him, like, on purpose. And – you know, maybe just talk to him?

DEAN (weakly) Talk. Yeah.

He stares at Sam.

DEAN (CONT’D) Okay. You know what? That’s enough.

He walks back to the car.

SAM Hey. Wait.

Dean turns.

SAM (CONT’D) It’s just – you know that dad had a couple of outdated views on some things. I know you probably internalized a lot of that, and that it’s going to take a while to …

DEAN _(incredulous)_ Are you seriously trying to give me the ‘gay is okay’ speech, Sam?

SAM No! I mean – maybe?

DEAN _(flat)_ Shut up, Sam.

_He walks back to the car, gets in and starts the engine._

SAM Hey! Wait!

_He sprints toward the passenger door and gets in just in time as Dean revs up the engine. The impala gets back on the road, tires screeching._

_The boys are heard in an off-screen talk while they drive into a beautiful sunset._

DEAN _(off-screen)_ Of all the patronizing shit you ever said to me…

SAM _(off-screen)_ You know what? Forget it.

DEAN _(off-screen)_ Shut up. Bitch.

SAM _(off-screen)_ Jerk.


	14. 13. INT. THE MEN OF LETTERS BUNKER. LATE AT NIGHT

_The door from the garage opens. DEAN comes running into the room._

DEAN Cas?

SAM follows suit. He turns on the lights.

DEAN (CONT’D) Cas?

CASTIEL I’m here, Dean.

_It’s a moment to behold. Dean immediately freezes. His eyes scan the room until they find CASTIEL in his usual attire, sitting at a table with an empty cup in front of him. He looks up at Dean, and their eyes meet._

_Dean stares at him. He starts walking toward him, quick and determined. Cas gets up from the table, looking decidedly nervous._

DEAN Cas.

_As soon as he’s in Cas’s space, he pulls him into a hug. He holds onto him with a desperation that Cas, after a second of hesitation, mirrors._

_Dean touches Cas’s hair with one hand, his fingers slide downward and graze skin. Cas shudders, and Dean pulls his hand back as if burned, but then puts it on Cas’s back._

CASTIEL _(muffled)_ Dean.

_Sam, who has been trying to give them a moment, approaches._

SAM All right. I want a hug too.

_Cas immediately lets go of Dean, but Dean holds on, turning halfway to include Sam in their embrace._

DEAN Come here, then.

_They all hug._

SAM Cas. God, we missed you.

CASTIEL I missed you too. Both of you.

_They eventually let go of each other. Dean surreptitiously clears his throat and wipes his eyes._

DEAN So. You’re human now?

CASTIEL Yes.

DEAN Jack made you choose.

CASTIEL He gave me a choice.

_The distinction, to him, is important. We’ll see why as the scene cuts to a flashback._

**START FLASHBACK**

**INT. THE EMPTY. EARLIER. PICKING UP WHERE 9. LEFT US**

_A continuation of the talk between JACK and CASTIEL_

CASTIEL A choice?

JACK You can choose to remain here. And sleep – undisturbed – until the very end. Or you can come back with me to heaven. I have some plans and I could use your help. _(a pause)_ Unless there is something else you’d rather do.

_Cas looks stricken. Heaven is his home, and if Jack needs his help..._

_Jack picks up on this thought._

JACK (CONT’D) There is no obligation. Your love saved me, Cas. And it saved this universe. The very least I can give you in return is the ability to choose. What is it that _you_ want?

CASTIEL I want –

_Jack waits patiently._

CASTIEL (CONT’D) I want to go back.

JACK I thought you might say that. You know that there are things that are beyond my power. Promises that aren’t mine to make. That overwhelming love, it will burn inside of you for eternity. Do you really want to carry that burden? You could be at peace here.

CASTIEL I know.

_He closes his eyes, a very human gesture._

CASTIEL (CONT’D) Take my grace. What’s left of it.

JACK I’m going to ask this only once. Are you sure?

_Cas looks at him. Half a lifetime on earth, getting to experience all its wonders. Half a lifetime, spent with Sam and Dean, with his family, growing old along with them. Even knowing his love will never be requited, he chooses this fate over any other._

CASTIEL Yes.

**END FLASHBACK. CUT BACK TO THE MAN OF LETTERS BUNKER.**

CASTIEL I chose this.

_Sam uses this moment to excuse himself. Things are getting intense, and he doesn’t want to witness what is bound to be a very, very awkward walk on egg-shells._

SAM _(clearing his throat)_ You know what, I’m pretty beat. I’ll take a shower and get some sleep. See you guys in the morning.

_He gets no reply. The camera follows him on his way out. We get a shot from his POV as he turns back for a second, about to exit the room. Dean and Cas are still standing there and sharing A GAZE. Sam shakes his head._

SAM _(to himself)_ Come on, Dean. You got this.

_Cut back to Dean and Cas._

_And, yup, there it is, the elephant in the room. Since we don’t have another four seasons for these idiots to figure their shit out, it’s now or never. This is the moment._

_Dean visibly pulls himself together._

DEAN About what you said.

CASTIEL Dean –

DEAN No. You don’t get to ‘Dean’ me. You got your say. Now I get mine.

_Cas stands there frozen. Eyes fixed on Dean._

DEAN That shit you pulled – it sucked. You hear me? You can’t just drop a bomb like that on me and then disappear.

CASTIEL It was the only way.

DEAN You waited – how long? – to tell me that you’re – that you’re _in love_ with me, just so that you could die on me?

CASTIEL I was my burden to carry. It didn’t matter.

DEAN The hell it didn’t.

_Cas, looking stricken, doesn’t say anything._

DEAN (CONT’D) If the thing with Billy hadn’t happened – would you ever have told me?

CASTIEL What good would it have done to either of us?

DEAN Maybe I wouldn’t feel like you lied to me all this time.

_At that, Cas loses his calm. He takes a step toward him. His eyes are blazing._

CASTIEL _(with emphasis)_ I never lied to you.

DEAN You certainly didn’t tell me the truth, did you? How was I supposed to know –

CASTIEL _(cutting in)_ Dean. _(a pause)_ I thought it was obvious. Everyone else seemed to know. I thought you did too and were simply kind enough to ignore it.

_That stops Dean short. He thinks of all the moments that someone remarked on Cas’s attachment to him. He never stopped to wonder if any of that was actually based on reality._

DEAN Well, I didn’t.

CASTIEL _(softer)_ Yes, I know that now.

DEAN How was I supposed to know that my best friend was having _those_ kinds of thoughts about me?

CASTIEL It wasn’t like that. I’ve never –

DEAN So what, you want to, like – be my platonic valentine?

CASTIEL _(frustrated)_ I don’t want to – I don’t want anything from you that you can’t give, Dean.

DEAN (hard) So when you said, ‘the one thing I want is something I know I can’t have’, I just imagined that, huh?

_Castiel is visibly affected by his words. This confrontation with Dean is exactly what he was afraid of._

CASTIEL This is why I didn’t want to tell you. Dean, please –

DEAN Please what, Cas.

CASTIEL Don’t do this. _(a pause)_ I’ve never harbored any illusions. I _know_ you don’t feel the same.

_There it is._

_Silence. The universe – and the audience – holding its breath. Waiting for Dean to confirm or deny._

_The silence stretches. We see Dean struggling to come to terms with it. To vocalize it. Whatever it is, this is his truth, and now we get to finally hear him say it._

DEAN (softly) See, and here’s where you’re wrong. Because it’s not for you to decide what I feel or don’t feel.

CASTIEL What?

DEAN You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to make that decision for me.

CASTIEL I don’t think it’s a matter of choice, Dean.

_Echoing Dean’s own sentiment from just a couple of hours ago._

DEAN No. No it isn’t.

_Castiel takes a deep breath. What crosses his face isn’t exactly resignation, but something close to it. Acceptance, mixed with sadness. Something bittersweet._

DEAN I can’t make that choice. Because it already happened.

_Dean shakes his head, struggling to find the right words._

DEAN (CONT’D) I don’t know when or where. But it did. I was just too damn stupid to work it out.

_Cas narrows his eyes, tilts his head to the side. It’s not that he doesn’t understand what Dean is saying, it’s that he’s too afraid to entertain the hope that his feelings might not be one-sided after all._

CASTIEL What are you trying to say?

 _Dean doesn’t answer right away. He stands very still, and before our eyes, his mannerism is changing. For a moment, it almost looks like he’s steeling himself. As if he’s making a conscious decision to let himself_ _**cross that line** _ _. He closes his eyes, then opens them, and we get a close-up of his eyes, which are very wide and focused solely on Cas. He bites his lips – very subtly, just the hint of a motion – and the atmosphere unexpectedly turns charged._

DEAN _(low)_ Cas.

_When Cas, confused, doesn’t immediately react, he smiles a little. Almost to himself._

DEAN Come here.

_Cautiously – almost suspiciously – Cas takes a step toward him, then another. He hasn’t caught up yet, but he will._

_Dean, on the other hand, has gained a new sort of confidence that turns his voice, his posture, his gaze, sensual._

DEAN So you _haven’t_ had those kinds of thoughts about me? You sure about that?

_On a subconscious level, Cas’s human body has already been picking up very unmixed signals. His angelic brain struggles to keep up. Cas’s breathing has quickened; his eyes, very blue, grow dark._

CASTIEL I ...

_Dean leans in for a kiss._

_One hand on Cas’s neck, a thumb grazing the skin under Cas’s ear. Pulling him in. Dean’s eyes fluttering shut, dark lashes fanning out. After a close-up from behind Cas’s shoulder, in which Dean is the focus of the kiss, the camera pans out and to the side. We get a good view of the two of them. Dean Winchester, blissfully kissing his angel for the first time._

_Dean breaks the kiss. We hear a soft gasp. The two of them stand pressed tightly together, foreheads touching. It’s a private moment; we don’t get another close-up before the camera zooms out._

_Fade to black._


	15. 14. INT. THE MEN OF LETTERS BUNKER. MORNING.

_DEAN is making breakfast in the kitchen. He’s in an extraordinarily good mood. Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer blasts through the speakers._

_She says, "We've got to hold on to what we've got  
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not  
We've got each other and that's a lot for love  
We'll give it a shot"  
_

_Woah, we’re halfway there.  
Woah-oh, livin' on a prayer  
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear  
Woah-oh, livin' on a prayer _

_As he’s filling eggs and bacon on his plate, SAM appears from his room, fully dressed._

DEAN Morning.

SAM Morning.

_They sit down to have breakfast. Dean exudes an air of exuberance. Sam seems increasingly exasperated, to a point where he finally shoves his plate away._

SAM So, listen.

_Dean meets his gaze in wide-eyed, totally fake innocence._

SAM Don’t take this the wrong way, but now that we’ve got Cas back, I think I might take a break. You and he can hold down the fort for a while.

DEAN You got somewhere else to be, Sam?

_It’s Sam’s moment to make a decision. He takes a deep breath. Prepares for a speech. Dean beats him to it._

DEAN You know, I’ve been thinking.

_Sam furrows his brow._

DEAN (CONT’D) This has been our home for a while now. But it’s never been something that we chose, right?

SAM _(in agreement)_ It kinda chose us.

_They look around. The camera zooms in, close-ups of important architectural elements of the bunker that we’ve seen over the years._

DEAN Man, some more windows would be nice.

SAM I really think I need to live somewhere else for a change.

DEAN Somewhere that isn’t here or somewhere that is at Eileen’s?

_Sam concedes his point with a half-nod and shrugs apologetically._

SAM The thing is – now that we’re free – I think that there’s a way for us to have it all.

DEAN Have our pie and eat it too.

SAM What is it with you and pie? You know, one day you might just want to learn how to make it from scratch.

DEAN Huh. There’s a thought.

SAM I was going to wait. I wasn’t going to just leave you. But now that Cas is back, I don’t think I can wait anymore. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop being a hunter. It’s what we do, and I don’t want to stop doing it. But if I don’t start thinking of a future now, I never will. And Eileen – she’s …

_He shrugs, a helpless attempt to describe the full extent of what she means to him._

DEAN She’s it for you.

SAM I guess so. I _hope_ so. Look – this is really hard. But I …

DEAN You know I like her, right? She’s good for you.

_He reaches for Sam’s wrist. Squeezes it and meets Sam’s gaze._

DEAN Sam. I get it. I do. And it’s okay.

SAM I’ll always be your little brother. I’ll always be your partner. It’s always been us against the world, and I don’t want that to change. I don’t want to live my life without you. Here or elsewhere. You know that. But it’s no longer _all_ I want.

_He turns his hand so that he’s now holding Dean’s wrist as well. Brothers. Brothers all the way. The both squeeze tightly, then Dean gives a suspicious sniff and lets go in order to wipe his eyes._

DEAN Damnit, Sammy. Now you’re making me cry.

SAM _(smiling)_ And, you know, you can start working things out with –

_As if on cue, CASTIEL appears. He looks a little bemused, in a cute way, and it’s unclear whether the cause is humanity or Dean. He’s wearing a flannel shirt of Dean’s._

SAM _(raising his eyebrows)_ You know what, nevermind. Morning, Cas.

CASTIEL Good morning, Sam.

DEAN Morning, Cas.

CASTIEL Didn’t we already say that earlier?

_While Sam nearly chokes on his coffee, Dean smiles serenely and gets up to fill Cas’s plate with bacon and eggs._

_Breakfast proceeds, and for all intents and purposes, it’s just another morning in the bunker._

_Slow fade to black, time passes._


	16. 15. INT. SAM’S AND EILEEN’S HOUSE. TWELVE YEARS LATER. SPRING.

_ The living room of a modern, suburban townhouse. Large windows, the furniture a cozy mixture of old and new. It’s a wide and open space that looks decidedly messy. Books, toys, empty wine glasses on the table, coloring books. We see the adjacent room, a study with a desk with stacks of papers and a computer, overflowing bookshelves. _

_ SARAH, ten years old, and her five year old brother ALEX are playing with legos on the living room floor. _

SARAH You’re not doing it right. It’s supposed to be like this, see.

ALEX _(stubbornly)_ Don’t tell me what to do! I want to do it _this_ way.

_ SAM, older and with his hair cut shorter than we’ve ever seen it, sticks his head through the door. _

SAM Are you two ready? We have to go, or we’ll be late for brunch.

_ Sarah jumps up from the floor. _

SARAH Wait, dad! I want to show Uncle Dean my plane!

_ She runs out of the room, presumably to fetch her model aircraft. _

SAM Your uncle hates flying.

_ Alex finishes building his legos with a frown on his face. Sam waits for him, patiently, until he’s done, then takes his son’s hand with as smile to lead him out of the room _

_ EILEEN and Sarah are coming down the stairs, Sarah with her plane in hand. Eileen signs to Sam on the way out, her flying fingers betraying her impatience. _

EILEEN We’ll be late. Again!

SAM It’s Sunday. We’ve got time. Anyway, they’re used to it by now.

_ After pulling on shoes and jackets, the children signing at Eileen and talking at the same time, the family leaves the house. While the kids climb into the minivan, Sam waits until Eileen has locked the door, then pulls her into a brief kiss. Together, they walk over to the car.  _


	17. 16. INT. DEAN’S AND CAS’S HOUSE. ROUGHLY AT THE SAME TIME.

_ A shared bedroom, slightly messy, in an old farmhouse. Clothes strewn across the floor, as if someone discarded them in a haste. A DOG is sleeping in a huge wicker basket next to the window. _

_ CASTIEL, gone almost entirely grey, is lying on his back in a double bed, opening his eyes as Dean, faced lined and bearded, comes in from the en-suite bathroom with a towel slung around his waist. _

DEAN Morning, sunshine.

_ An unintelligible grunt is testament to the fact that as a human, Cas is not a morning person. _

DEAN We have to get up. Half an hour until they’re here.

CASTIEL It’s too early.

DEAN They’ll probably be late.

CASTIEL Good. Come here.

_ Dean bends over him to kiss him. Cas winds an arm around his shoulder to keep him in place. The kiss keeps going on. It ends with Dean sliding into bed beside Cas. Making out soon leads to Dean kissing his way down Cas’s chest. The camera focuses on Cas as Dean’s head disappears from sight. Cas draws in a sharp breath. _

CAS Dean.

_ Cas bites his lips, shifting his weight. There’s no mistaking the fact that Dean is giving him a blowjob.  _

CAS I really hope they’ll be late.


	18. 17. EXT. DEAN’S AND CAS’S HOUSE. LATER THAT MORNING.

_It turns out that Cas and Dean own a nice little farmhouse with a huge yard, a garage and a workshop. A sign reads **Winchester, Repairs and Maintenance** . The camera pans through the workshop, showing us that Dean is earning a living fixing old and broken things: guns, for the most part, but also furniture and an old pocket watch. The Impala resides in one of the parking boxes, covered by a tarp. Next to her stands a modern SUV. Baby is in retirement, but she’s still looking good. Behind the farmhouse, we see a well-maintained garden. _

_Sam’s and Eileen’s car rolls into the yard. SARAH jumps out and runs to the front door. DEAN opens it and while his and Cas’s DOG runs out and into the yard, enthusiastically greeting the visitors, he returns his niece’s fierce hug. She waves her plane at him. Dean looks sufficiently impressed. Sarah disappears inside the house. EILEEN comes next, kissing Dean on the cheek and signing at him._

EILEEN Are we too late?

_ALEX and SAM are last. Alex comes running toward Dean, who catches him and lifts him on his arm. The Winchester brothers hug before entering the house as well._


	19. 18. INT. DEAN’S AND CAS'S KITCHEN/LIVING ROOM.

_It's a large room, country-style. DEAN is making breakfast; SAM and SARAH are setting the table. CASTIEL comes down the stairs and exchanges greetings with everyone. On his way to the stove where Dean is making eggs, he fleetingly kisses Dean on the neck. Without SAM or EILEEN noticing, he pulls a little bottle from a cabinet and hands Dean two pills which Dean swallows down with a sip of coffee._

_They all gather around the table. Just another Sunday morning. SARAH keeps talking excitedly about her school project while ALEX, who is Cas’s favorite, giggles at the funny faces Cas is making at him. The dog chews on a bone._

_SAMs phone rings. He looks at the display. The adults exchange concerned glances as he leaves the room to take the call. He returns to the kitchen a moment later._

SAM That was Jody. Apparently Charlie and Stevie have gone missing on a hunt; they went after a nest of vampires. They need backup.

_Dean exchanges a glance with Cas._

CASTIEL _(_ _nodding at Dean and Sam)_ Maybe you two should go.

_Sam looks fairly pleased at the suggestion._

SAM _(to Dean)_ It’s been a while, right? Recently Eileen’s been taking more cases than I. But I’m almost done with grading, it’s a good time to get back on the road.

_He looks at Eileen._

EILEEN _(signing)_ Sure.

DEAN I wanted to take Baby out for a ride anyway. Just like the good old times, right?

_He exchanges another glance with Cas before the scene fades out._


	20. 19. EXT. DEAN’S AND CAS’S YARD. LATER THAT DAY.

_SAM and DEAN load the Impala’s trunk._

DEAN That’s it, right? Dead man’s blood, machetes, guns … All set.

SAM Yeah, think so.

_A nostalgic shot from inside the trunk, callback to “Pilot”._

SAM We got work to do.

_The trunk falls shut. Camera from above as Sam and Dean get into the car and drive away._

_C_ _AS_ _stands in the doorway of his and Dean’s house, looking after them._


	21. 20. INT. THE MEN OF LETTERS BUNKER. AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME LATER.

_ The bunker has become a headquarters of sorts. Lots of books, working spaces, a huge map of the US with different names taped to it – indicating a nation-wide hunter network.  _

_ JODY is sitting at a desk that looks like the boss woman’s with her laptop, reading up on something. In the kitchen, TWO UNKNOWN HUNTERS – a young woman and a man – are talking about last week’s football game. _

_ Jody’s phone starts ringing. She takes the call, we don’t see who it is and aren’t privy to the conversation. _

_ From the two hunters’ point of view, we see how she drops the phone. Both fall silent as Jody starts to cry.  _

_ They exchange a worried glance. The woman calls out to Jody. _

FEMALE HUNTER Jody? What is it?

_ Jody gets up from her desk. She moves like an old woman, wipes tears from her eyes. _

MALE HUNTER _(worried)_ Bad news?

_ Jody visibly tries to pull herself together. _

JODY (shaky) That was Sam. He and Dean went on a hunt, and Dean …

_ She sobs, once, and tries to silence herself with a hand to her mouth. _

JODY Dean was killed by a vampire. Impaled on some kind of lever. Any help came too late.

_ The female hunter inhales sharply. Her male friend quietly takes a step toward Jody, offering her support, and she hugs him and hides his face against his shoulder. _

_ The three of them grieve silently. A phone starts ringing in the bunker, followed by another.  _


	22. 21. EXT. THE FIELD BEHIND DEAN’S AND CAS’S HOUSE.

_ A funeral pyre. A crowd has gathered, countless familiar faces – really a lot of them. Many of them hunters. APOCALYPSE WORLD CHARLIE and STEVIE, both injured but alive (it’s not explained why or how, but apparently the Winchester boys managed to save them); a very old APOCALYPSE WORLD BOBBY, walking with a cane; GARTH and BESS along with their children; JESSIE and CESAR; CLAIRE; DONNA; and, of course, JODY along with the TWO HUNTERS from the scene before. All of them look older, some bear scars, someone’s limping. But they’re all there. _

_ So are many of the people that Winchesters saved (as many characters brought back from previous episodes as possible). A woman who looks suspiciously like ROWENA in disguise lurks at the edge of the crowd. _

_ Right beside the pyre, we see Dean’s closest family members. SAM, grief-stricken, next to CAS, who keeps holding onto his arm and looks somber but strangely composed. EILEEN comforts her children. _

_ It’s Sam who steps forward to light the fire. The crowd gathers close, people mourning and supporting each other. Sam and Cas hug, then Eileen takes Cas’ place at Sam’s side and people step up to offer condolences. The camera zooms out, showing the scene from above. _


	23. 22. INT. DEAN’S AND CAS’S HOUSE, AFTER THE FUNERAL. LATE EVENING.

_EILEEN is sitting on the sofa, SARAH and ALEX both cuddled close, asleep. She’s stroking Sarah’s hair. The dog lies at her feet._

_JODY accompanies APOCALYPSE WORLD BOBBY to the door. They hug, then Bobby leaves and limps over to the car that’s waiting for him._

_Jody walks over to Eileen._

JODY Will he be all right?

_She tilts her head at SAM, who is sitting at the kitchen table with CASTIEL._

_While the women talk to each other quietly, the camera zooms in on Cas and Sam._

SAM I don’t understand. How you can be so …

CASTIEL _(calmly)_ You forget who I am, Sam. I was always acutely aware of how fleeting life can be.

SAM I can’t get over it. Of all the stupid ways to die … we got through so many hunts far more dangerous than this.

_He wipes his eyes, which are swollen from too much crying._

CASTIEL It was bound to happen sooner or later. You know that Dean would have preferred to die like this. Doing what he loved, saving people. And…

_He hesitates._

CASTIEL (CONT’D) One of the reasons that I find it easier to accept than you was that I knew we were going to lose him. Not quite so soon – not so unexpected – but a lot sooner than either of us would have liked.

_Sam lifts his head to stare at Cas._

SAM What do you mean?

CASTIEL He was going to tell you after the hunt. On the way back. We’d talked about it.

SAM I don’t understand.

CASTIEL Last year, when he went in for knee surgery, they ran a couple of tests. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He got worse over the fall, and we were starting to look into different kinds of treatment.

SAM _(uncomprehending)_ He got cancer … and he didn’t tell me?

CASTIEL He wanted to, but he didn’t know how.

SAM Trying to protect me. Still.

CASTIEL Yes. I don’t know what we would have done. I don’t think that Dean would have been able to endure it, the chemotherapy, the limitations once his condition got worse.

SAM No. No, he wouldn’t have.

CASTIEL So you see, given the choice between dying on a hunt, with you by his side, while saving people that he loved …

SAM Yeah. You’re right. It’s just -

CASTIEL I am sorry.

SAM _(voice breaking)_ Me too.

_They keep sitting there. Cas reaches out and touches Sam’s hand._

CASTIEL He wanted you to move on with your life. Knowing there was a good chance that he was going to die soon, he was asking me to make sure you would be fine.

_Sam starts crying again. Cas puts an arm around his shoulder._

SAM _(choked, having to force the words out)_ I miss him so much.

CASTIEL _(almost inaudible)_ Yes.

SAM What about you then? How will you be able to move on?

CASTIEL I won’t. _(a pause)_ When Jack took the last of my grace, he gave a little bit of it back to me.

_He holds out his hand. On his palm appears a tiny blue sphere of his angelic grace._

CASTIEL It will allow me to pass into Heaven whenever I choose to.

SAM So I’ll lose you too. And I’ll be left here without both my brothers.

CASTIEL You have your family, Sam, and even though Dean and I will temporarily cease to be a part of it, that separation won’t last forever. When Jack took over, he changed some things. _(hesitating)_ I shouldn’t be telling you this. But take my word for it, what comes after aren’t just memories anymore, Sam. There’s more. There’s … togetherness. ( _another pause)_ However, Heaven … it’s not life.

SAM That’s the same thing Jack said, the last time we saw him.

CASTIEL You should listen to him. You don’t have to be afraid of dying, Sam, but first, you should enjoy life. Keep loving Eileen. See Sarah and Alex grow up. Become a grandparent. Make memories. Things you can tell Dean – and me – when we see each other again.

SAM _(helplessly)_ I don’t know how to stop missing him.

CASTIEL I’m not telling you to. I miss him too.

_They keep sitting there. Eventually, Eileen joins them at the table. She hugs Sam, who buries his head against her side. She strokes his hair._

_**Dream On** by Aerosmith starts playing as a montage begins. _

**BEGIN MONTAGE**

_Every time that I look in the mirror_

_All these lines on my face getting clearer_

_The past is gone_

_It went by like dusk to dawn_

_Isn't that the way?_

_Everybody's got their dues in life to pay_

_Yeah, I know nobody knows_

_Where it comes and where it goes_

_I know it's everybody's sin_

_You got to lose to know_

_How to win_

_Half my life's in books' written pages_

_Live and learn from fools and from sages_

_You know it's true_

_All the things come back to you_

_Sing with me, sing for the year_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

_Sing with me if it's just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away_

_Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

_Sing with me if it's just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away_

_Dream on, dream on, dream on_

_Dream until your dream come true_

_Dream on, dream on, dream on_

_Dream until your dream come true_

_SAM, restless at night, getting out of bed to stare out of the window._

_SAM and EILEEN, making love in their bed._

_SAM and DONNA on a hunt, salting and burning a ghost._

_CAS works alone in his garden while THE DOG runs across the field._

_CAS, holding CLAIRE’S baby. The camera on a crib with a name tag: DEANNE._

_APOCALYPSE WORLD BOBBY dying peacefully in his sleep._

_SARAH, at the age of 16, looking a lot like her uncle DEAN, being trained in self-defense by CLAIRE along with some other teens._

_CAS, locking up his and Dean’s house, walking away from it. The tiny sphere of grace appears in his palm, and he throws it into the air where it forms a portal. He steps through it, and from a distance, we see him at a beach where he reunites with a familiar figure – DEAN._

_SAM and EILEEN, a family gathering at Christmas. SARAH holds a baby, ALEX’S WIFE is pregnant._

_SAM, an old man, lying in a bed. EILEEN’S side of the bed and her nightstand are empty._

_SAM, in his bedroom in a hospital bed, his eyes closed. SARAH, now middle-aged, lets go of his hand and folds both of his hands on his chest. She kisses her father’s cheek and leaves the room to join the rest of her family, delivering the news that he has passed. They all cry and hug each other._

**END MONTAGE**


	24. 23. EXT. HEAVEN. SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.

_SAM, looking young again, steps into Heaven which looks like a beach in the sunset. DEAN is waiting for him, and the brothers approach each other and hug as the music from the montage fades. They hold onto each other for a long time._

DEAN I was waiting for you.

SAM I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.

DEAN Nah. You’re here now, that’s what counts. I’m so damn proud of you, Sam. My baby brother.

SAM It was hard, going on without you. You have no idea how hard it was.

DEAN I know. But you did good, you know that, right? You did really good.

SAM So did you.

DEAN Yeah. You know, all things considered, I’d say we had one hell of a ride.

_He looks to the side, and the Impala appears, right next to them there at the beach._

DEAN (CONT’D) Come on, let’s go for a drive. The others are waiting for us.

SAM The others? Who?

DEAN Everyone.

_They get into the car and drive away. The last shot we see is from above, the Impala on a long beach road, driving into the sunset._

JACK (voiceover) No doubt, endings are hard. But what you need to know about them is that they matter less than the road that leads you there. The ‘along the way’ that changes you and allows you to grow. The chances you take, the choices you didn’t think you could make. That’s where all the good stuff happens. The outcome? For the most part, it’s accidental. So if you still wonder what life is all about, keep wondering. And meanwhile, as the saying goes … Be the change that you want to see in the world.

_Fade to Black._

– THE END -

_**Carry On** by Kansas starts to play while the credits are rolling and we get a final montage of set pics, actors having fun, smiling faces, all our favorite settings and scenes. _

**Author's Note:**

> You want to talk about it? Find me on tumblr or on twitter 
> 
> https://uniwolfwerecorn.tumblr.com/
> 
> https://twitter.com/feathersandblue


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